The University’s Mission

Vision

The University of Nicosia aspires to be a leading contributor to excellence in education and research.

Mission

To help students become educated individuals, achieve their academic and professional goals and assume responsible roles in a changing world of European cooperation and global interdependence; to promote research and the generation of knowledge; to be of service to society through the dissemination and application of knowledge, as well as through innovative partnerships with business and civic society institutions.

Statement of Values

To foster within the University community the values of personal and academic integrity; the liberty to question and to pursue knowledge; of respect for the laws of the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union and the University; democratic governance and management of the institution; respect for persons; professionalism and diligence; ethical behaviour; civic responsibility; multi-cultural awareness; tolerance; sustainability of resources; entrepreneurship and innovation; personalised attention and student focus.

General Aims

The promotion of science, knowledge, learning and education, through teaching and research for the benefit of society;

The cultivation, transmission, application and inter-disciplinary exchange of knowledge, and

The provision of high quality undergraduate and graduate education that is internationally recognized, and of other programmes of study, which are of an international standard.

The University gives top priority to providing students with academic and professional skills such as:

(a) to become educated individuals and develop critical skills and communication abilities, achieved through liberal arts and general electives. Evidence for this is their work while at University, including critical essays, assignments, individual and group projects, presentations internships, educational trips etc; plus the various distinctions/prizes, awards earned by our students through their participation in numerous conferences, community activities, and so on; and

(b) to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for their profession, instilled through specialized courses which the relevant professions require before graduates can practise. Evidence of this being achieved is the approval of our programmes by various professional bodies such as the Legal Council of Cyprus in Law, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, ETEK in Architecture, Computer Science and Engineering and the ACCA and ICAEW in Accounting (through the maximum exemptions allowed). With these academic and professional skills, the University of Nicosia graduates are able to succeed both at a regional-European level as well at a global level.

Focus on Research

Another important priority is research and the generation of knowledge especially in an applied manner and of benefit to the economy and society. Realizing that it does not have the resources to be a top research university, the University of Nicosia emphasizes the generation of knowledge which is primarily focused on Cyprus and the region and is more applied in nature.

Contribution to Society

The third priority is service to society and innovative partnerships with other institutions. This is illustrated by the innumerable academic and public service activities such as the Citizen’s Free University, international conferences, seminars, lectures to inmates and the public presence of our faculty in the media for current affairs.

Making Cyprus an International Education Centre

The University of Nicosia also tries to contribute as much as possible to the national goal of making Cyprus a regional and international education centre; for instance partnership with St. George’s University of London which recruits mainly in the UK and has some European but no international students: this institution’s high reputation and high entrance criteria for its entrants is already attracting top quality students from the USA, Canada, Israel and other countries for the first time.